At 38 years and one month, Rafael Nadal will become the second-oldest top-200 player The 38-year-old Rafael Nadal will return to the top-200 next week following a deep run in Bastad.
The 22-time Major winner will compete in the semi-final at the ATP 250 event, earning ATP points and cracking the top-200 for the first time since September last year. Nadal missed almost an entire 2023 season due to an injury, dropping out from the top-600 for the first time in over two decades. The veteran started from the bottom in the first week of 2024, reaching the quarter-final in Brisbane before skipping more tournaments due to further physical issues. Nadal reached the fourth round at the Madrid Masters and earned one triumph in Rome before the Roland Garros early exit. Rafa moved closer to a place in the top-250 and will make a massive jump next Monday, extending his great journey and becoming the second-oldest top-200 player behind Stan Wawrinka. Nadal missed the grass-court swing after falling to Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros, not feeling great physically and staying on the practice court in Mallorca and Greece before heading to Bastad. The king of clay claimed the title at this event in 2005, returning after 19 years and showing his skills on his beloved clay despite all recent setbacks. Rafa faced Bjorn Borg and scored a 6-3, 6-4 victory, his first since May 9th. Nadal served well and broke the legend’s son two times for a place in the second round. Rafael Nadal will return to the top-200 on Monday. Rafa faced Cameron Norrie in a battle for a place in the quarter-final and earned a 6-4, 6-4 win. The Spaniard lost serve once and delivered three breaks, overcoming a 4-1 deficit in set number two and moving into the last eight. Nadal experienced his most challenging test since making a comeback against Mariano Navone, scoring a 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 triumph in four hours for a place in the last four and a top-200 return! The veteran embraced one of the most extended best-of-three duels of his career. He prevailed in the closing stages of sets two and three and remained on the title course following his first semi-final since Wimbledon 2022. Nadal won ten points more than Navone, earning the win in a clay-court marathon with massive turnarounds and plenty of break chances. They created 36 break points, and Rafa suffered eight breaks from 15 chances offered to his rival, three at the beginning of the duel. Nadal generated 21 break chances, seizing ten and emerging at the top. Mariano delivered three breaks at the beginning of the duel and wasted two set points on serve in game ten. Rafa recovered his game and created two set points on the return in game 12, missing them and dropping the tie break. Nadal wasted a 3-0 lead in the second set, and they both served well for 5-5. The Spaniard grabbed a break in game 11 and closed the set on his serve in the next one, forcing a decider after two and a half hours. The Argentine led 2-0 in the final set before getting broken three straight times, allowing his rival to forge a 5-2 advantage. Rafa failed to serve out for the match in games eight and ten, keeping his rival in contention. However, the 22-time Major winner delivered a crucial break in game 11 and sealed the deal on his serve in the next one, reaching his first ATP semi-final in two years.